The Great Barrier Reef is one of the worlds most significant natural assets. It makes a major contribution to Australia's social, economic and environmental well being.

To support the sustainable management of the Great Barrier Reef, the Australian Government is working with land managers in the catchments discharging into the reef to increase the adoption of management practices that contribute to improved water quality. The primary purpose of this survey was to provide benchmark data on these practices for each catchment.

This information is one component in the evidence framework used to assess progress towards long term improvement in reef condition. It complements other information on land management practices collected from industry, research organisations and regional bodies, along with bio-physical data on water quality.

The survey is likely to be repeated at some time in the future, to allow the measurement of changes in management practices over time.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This survey was conducted through Reef Rescue, a component of the Caring for our Country initiative supporting the effective management of Australia's natural resources. The ABS acknowledges the support and input of the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), which, through Caring for our Country, funded the ABS to conduct this survey.

The ABS also acknowledges the assistance provided by the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM), particularly in developing the sampling frame for this survey.

A range of groups provided support in developing and promoting the survey including regional natural resource management bodies and organisations such as AgForce Queensland, Growcom, Canegrowers Queensland and the Queensland Farmers' Federation.

The valuable contribution of Queensland land owners and managers in undertaking form testing and completing the survey is also acknowledged.